The present invention relates to magnetic drills or mag drills. Mag drills are portable drills designed to cut metal. One type of mag drill can include an alternating current (AC) electrically powered mag drill with the AC power driving both the drill and the electromagnetic base. When power is supplied and the drill is activated, the electromagnetic base causes the drill to be magnetically affixed to, for example, a metal work surface. The attractive electromagnet force is strong enough to both support the drill being affixed to the work surface as well as oppose any drilling forces occurring as a result of the drill bit engaging the work surface. Two versions of an AC mag drill may include systems with an auto-feeding feature and a direct current (DC) powered drill with a permanent magnetic base. The auto-feeding feature may provide various benefits for a user. For example, because drill speed and technique are critical to the performance of a mag drill if the drill is fed using the auto-feeding feature user error is less likely. Also, a user does not have to handle the drill, which increases safety and productivity.
DC powered mag drills remove the need for wired or generated power however one of the shortcomings of the DC powered mag drill is that the reduced power available from the batteries precludes successful use of electromagnets. For mobile and safe operation, current electromagnetic options are not viable. In the mobile environment, reliable AC power cannot be guaranteed. With regard to AC powered mag drills having an electromagnetic base, interruption of power or having an unreliable power source compromises a user's ability to drill as well as causes additional problems. For example, safety may be an additional problem because certain mobile drilling applications frequently occur when the mag drill is horizontally affixed to a vertical work surface. Thus, because the electromagnetic base is powered by an AC power supply, interruption of the power supply will cause the electromagnet to lose its attractive force and the very heavy drill horizontally affixed to the vertical work surface will immediately fall from the object being machined. Another potential problem relates to drill performance. For example, because the act of drilling hardens the object being drilled, if drilling is interrupted, the effort (mechanical energy) required to resume drilling is much more than would otherwise be expended if the work object were cut continuously. This effort manifests itself in time and drill bit wear and loss and in a mobile environment, there are a limited number of available drill bits thus it is important to have a mag drill that is not susceptible to frequent power interruptions.
In the past DC drills seemed to be a viable option for the mobile environment. DC drills generally do not require an external AC power source and generally do not have the safety problems of an electromagnet. However, users may nonetheless encounter various problems with DC powered mag drills. For example, DC powered mag drills may not provide enough power for sustained mobile operations, i.e., the number of charged batteries required may be somewhat prohibitive in a mobile environment. Additionally, DC powered mag drills generally lack auto feeding functionality. Lastly, for prior art AC or DC powered mag drills, the lubrication systems associated with existing mag drills are insufficient for mobile operations. For example, existing lubrication systems are too fragile, too inflexible with their location, and do not provide sufficient lubrication when the drills are used on vertical work surfaces. Therefore a need exists for an improved magnetic drill having a reliable power source with an enhanced non-stationary lubrication system, auto feed functionality and a magnetic base that is not dependent on an AC power source to magnetically couple the drill to a work surface.
In one embodiment of the present disclosure a drill system is provided comprising an electric drill comprising a motor, a drill bit holder rotationally coupled to the motor, and a drill bit held within the drill bit holder; a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a work piece formed of a magnetically attractive material; a coupler plate coupled to the first permanent magnet; a frame coupled to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame, wherein the electric drill is coupled to the frame; an auto-feed section coupled to the electric drill adapted to apply force to the drill bit so that the drill bit traverses along a first axis so as to apply force on the drill bit and thereby engage a work piece; a lubrication input system coupled to the electric drill; a user interface operably in communication with the electric drill and the auto-feed section, the user interface providing control for powering the drill and enabling user control of the auto-feed section; a lubrication reservoir coupled to a second permanent magnet, the lubrication reservoir adapted to contain a lubricating fluid and provide a lubricant to a lubrication input section of the electric drill, the second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a support formed of a magnetically attractive material; and a distribution tube fluidly coupling the lubrication reservoir to the lubrication input section of the electric drill, the lubrication input section further comprising a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the drill bit and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the drill bit during a drilling process; wherein the first permanent magnet is formed with permanent magnet material selected to generate a first attractive force, the first attractive force is greater than a first force and less than a second force, the first force is determined based on a weight of the electric drill and a maximum force applied by the auto-feeder, and the second force is determined by a minimum amount of force required to be applied by a human to remove the first permanent magnet from the work piece, such that the second force is related to at least the weight of the electric drill, the weight of the first permanent magnet, and the first attractive force, wherein the weight of the electric drill and the weight of the first permanent magnet is at least 17 kilograms.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure a drill system is provided comprising an electric drill comprising a motor, a drill bit holder rotationally coupled to the motor, and a drill bit held within the drill bit holder; a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a work piece formed of a magnetically attractive material; a coupler plate coupled to the first permanent magnet; a frame coupled to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame, wherein the electric drill is coupled to the frame; an auto-feed section coupled to the electric drill adapted to apply force to the drill bit so that the drill bit traverses along a first axis so as to apply force on the drill bit and thereby engage a work piece; a lubrication input system coupled to the electric drill; a user interface operably in communication with the electric drill and the auto-feed section, the user interface providing control for powering the drill and enabling user control of the auto-feed section; a lubrication reservoir coupled to a second permanent magnet, the lubrication reservoir adapted to contain a lubricating fluid and provide a lubricant to a lubrication input section of the electric drill, the second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a support formed of a magnetically attractive material; a distribution tube fluidly coupling the lubrication reservoir to the lubrication input section of the electric drill, the lubrication input section further comprising a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the drill bit and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the drill bit during a drilling process; and a sensor, a controller operably coupled to the sensor, a power source operably coupled to the controller, and an electromagnet selectively powered by the power source, the electromagnet is coupled to the frame, wherein the sensor outputs to the controller a plurality of force measurements applied by the drill bit to the work piece, the controller determines if a first force threshold is exceeded based on the sensor output, wherein the controller selectively activates the electromagnet to supplement coupling functions of the first permanent magnet with additional magnetic attractive force to the work surface when the first force threshold is exceeded.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure a drill system is provided comprising an electric drill including an auto feed component; a controller including at least one processor and a memory, the controller being communicably coupled to the auto feed component; a lubrication system including a reservoir containing lubricant, a flexible tube coupled to the electric drill and to the reservoir, the flexible tube providing a flow path for the lubricant, a flow valve, a flow valve actuator, and at least one sensor wherein the flow valve actuator is electrically coupled to the controller and the at least one sensor is communicably coupled to the controller and configured to provide a data signal to the controller indicative of a position of the flow valve; a permanent first magnet coupled to the electric drill and a second electromagnet coupled to the electric drill and electrically coupled to the controller; a vibration sensor coupled to the electric drill and communicably coupled to the controller, the vibration sensor configured to provide a data signal to the controller indicative of a vibration profile of the electric drill; a mechanical adjustment system (“MAS”) coupled to the electric drill and electrically coupled to the controller, the MAS configured to mechanically adjust the position of the electric drill relative to a work surface; a control interface communicably coupled to the controller, the control interface configured to indicate a warning and to provide one or more commands to the controller wherein the one or more commands cause the controller to at least activate the electric drill, activate the auto feed component, activate the lubrication system, and activate the MAS; and the memory containing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the processor to: provide a control signal to the second electromagnet in response to the vibration profile exceeding a predetermined threshold vibration profile, the control signal causing activation of the magnetic force of the second electromagnet; provide a control signal to the electric drill in response to the vibration profile exceeding a predetermined threshold vibration profile, the control signal causing a reduction in a force applied by the electric drill relative to the work surface; and provide a control signal to the flow valve actuator to cause the flow valve to move to at least one of an opened position permitting lubricant to flow from the reservoir to the electric drill through the flexible tube and a closed position inhibiting the flow of the lubricant.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure a method in a drill system is provided comprising magnetically coupling, by a first permanent magnet, an electric drill to a work surface; providing, by a control interface, one or more commands to a controller wherein the one or more commands cause the controller to at least activate the electric drill, activate an auto feed component of the electric drill; activate a lubrication system, and activate a mechanical adjustment system (“MAS”); determining, by a vibration sensor, a vibration profile of the electric drill, the vibration sensor providing a data signal to the controller corresponding to the vibration profile; activating, by the controller, a second electromagnet to magnetically couple the electric drill to the work surface wherein activation of the second electromagnet occurs in response to the vibration profile exceeding a predetermined threshold vibration profile; monitoring, by a control interface, one or more operational parameters of the lubrication system, the one or more operational parameters including at least one of a valve position and a lubrication fluid flow rate; providing, by the controller, a control signal to the electric drill in response to the vibration profile exceeding a predetermined threshold vibration profile, the control signal causing a reduction in a force applied by the electric drill relative to the work surface; providing, by the controller, a control signal to a flow valve actuator of the lubrication system to cause a flow valve of the lubrication system to move to at least one of an opened position permitting a lubricant to flow from a reservoir of the lubrication system to the electric drill and a closed position inhibiting the flow of the lubricant; and adjusting, by the MAS, the position of the electric drill relative to the work surface wherein the adjusting occurs at least in response to the vibration profile exceeding a predetermined threshold vibration profile.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure a drill system is provided comprising an electric drill; a lubrication system including a reservoir containing lubricant, a flexible tube having a first end coupled to the reservoir and a second end coupled to the electric drill, the flexible tube providing a flow path for the lubricant; a permanent magnet coupled to the electric drill, the permanent magnet configured to magnetically couple the electric drill to a vertical work surface; a coupler plate configured to mechanically couple the magnet to the electric drill; and a first magnetic bracket coupled to the reservoir and magnetically coupled to a first metal surface, wherein the first magnetic bracket and the flexible tube cooperate to allow the reservoir to be spaced apart from and positioned independent of the location of the electric drill.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure a method in a drill system is provided comprising coupling, by a coupling plate, a first magnet to an electric drill; magnetically coupling, by the first magnet, the electric drill to a work surface; coupling a first end of a flexible tube to a reservoir and coupling a second end of a flexible tube to the electric drill wherein the reservoir contains lubricant; positioning, by a valve position lever, a flow control valve to at least one of an opened position and a closed position; magnetically coupling, by a first magnetic bracket, the reservoir to a first metal surface wherein the first magnetic bracket and the flexible tube cooperate to allow the reservoir to be spaced apart from and positioned independent of the location of the electric drill; and supplying, by a lubrication system, lubricant from the reservoir to the electric drill wherein lubricant is supplied from the reservoir to the electric drill when the reservoir is in an elevated location relative to the electric drill and when the flow control valve is in an opened position.